Banned snooker player Stephen Lee must stay in Hong Kong until June to fight a charge of working illegally in the former British colony.

Lee, 43, pleaded not guilty to breaching the conditions of his tourist visa after being charged with teaching snooker without a work permit.

The former world number five was banned for 12 years in 2013 after being found guilty of match-fixing charges.

He has had to surrender his passport after being bailed until trial in June.

If found guilty, he can expect a minimum three-month prison sentence.

Earlier this year, British band TTNG had charges over alleged visa offences dropped after they were held following a raid at a warehouse venue in May 2017.

Their case bears similarities to that of Lee, who was arrested with two others during an immigration raid on a billiards hall in the Jordan area of the city on 12 April, according to Hong Kong newspaper, the South China Morning Post.

Lee first appeared in court on 14 April to deny the charge.

He returned on 16 April, with the newspaper stating that when magistrate Winnie Lau Yee-wan asked what was the main issue of the case, Lee's lawyer replied: "Whether the defendant was employed."

The offence of breach of condition of stay carries a maximum fine of 50,000 Hong Kong dollars (£4,570) and two years in prison.

A horrible greedy little man,forget the cheating bit the fact that he wanted to back himself to lose against murphy in world final during the match just to cover the prizemoney tells you what sort of person he is,all the money he has made yet in a world final was thinking about how he could maximize his return just unbelievable..Think that tells you all you need to know about what he would do ust for a few quid.

A horrible greedy little man,forget the cheating bit the fact that he wanted to back himself to lose against murphy in world final during the match just to cover the prizemoney tells you what sort of person he is,all the money he has made yet in a wo